October 8 – It’s World Space Week

About the Holiday

First declared by the United Nations in 1999, World Space Week has grown to be the largest public space-related event in the world. The week celebrates the advancement and contributions of space technology and exploration. This year’s theme is “Exploring New Worlds in Space” and aims to encourage and inspire new experimentation, discovery and participation in advancing ways to explore the cosmos beyond earth.

To the Stars! The First American Woman to Walk in Space

Written by Carmella Van Vleet and Dr. Kathy Sullivan | Illustrated by Nicole Wong

As a child Kathy Sullivan loved to explore. Her father designed airplanes, and when he brought home blueprints, she carefully studied every line and curve. When she saw airplanes in the sky she wished she were on them, flying to exciting locations all over the world. Maps and foreign languages fascinated her. “Their strange symbols, exotic tales, and musical sounds made her feel like the world was waiting for her.” Kathy wanted to see that whole world and thought maybe she’d like to be a spy or a diplomat, but her friends and other adults told her those weren’t jobs for women.

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Image copyright Nicole Wong, courtesy of nicole-wong.com

But Kathy always followed her heart. She loved going fishing with her dad and brother and finishing the day with a swim. She “delighted in how her arms and legs moved in slow motion underwater.” Kathy was still a teenager when she learned how to pilot a plane. At first the busy instrument panel made her nervous, but she quickly learned how to manage all the “dials, buttons, and numbers.”

Kathy got a taste for the thrill of space when she bravely jumped at the opportunity to ride in a Breezy—an open-air-framework plane. Sitting at the very tip of the airplane, in front of the pilot, Kathy had a bird’s eye view. “The wind rushed past her face so fast it pushed her cheeks back. Higher! Faster! Young Kathy looked at the ground below her feet. She felt like she could see the whole world.”

As an adult, Kathy put all of these experiences to good use as she studied complex science that would lead her to NASA. And when she became the first American woman to walk in space, she fulfilled her childhood dream to see the whole world!

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Image copyright Nicole Wong, courtesy of charlesbridge.com

Carmella Van Vleet and Dr. Kathy Sullivan, have written a compelling biography of Dr. Sullivan that not only tells the story of her adult achievements, but also reveals the childhood and teenage motivations and influences that fostered her journey to the stars. As each event in Kathy’s young life is introduced, it is followed by an adult accomplishment: Kathy’s poring over her father’s aircraft blueprints leads to a spread of college-age Kathy studying charts in textbooks. Her enjoyment of swimming underwater is followed by an illustration showing her NASA training underwater. Her initial introduction to a plane’s instrument panel informs her later responsibilities inside the spacecraft. And the question she once asked herself as a child—what kind of job would allow her to see the whole world—is answered as the astronaut Kathy gazes down at Earth from space.

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Image copyright Nicole Wong, courtesy of charlesbridge.com

Nicole Wong’s lovely, realistic watercolor and ink paintings clearly show readers Kathy Sullivan’s trajectory from curious girl to accomplished astronaut. The blueprints that Kathy studies are filled with schematics. The aqua water she swims in swirls and bubbles in the wake of her cannonball dive, and the crisscrossing fields lay like a mottled green quilt under the Breezy. Especially stunning and effective are the illustrations of Dr. Sullivan’s work with NASA. Kids will love the up-close view of the spacecraft’s instrument panel with its myriad buttons and dials. Likewise, they will find the gorgeous two-page spreads of the space shuttle’s launch, the view from the cockpit, and Kathy’s spacewalk particularly thrilling.

Following the text is a personal note from Kathy Sullivan to her young readers. More extensive biographical notes reveal how Dr. Sullivan discovered her love of science as well as information on the NASA missions she supported. Two more pages highlight the women of the first space-shuttle class, which included Kathy Sullivan, and other firsts by eight other women in space.

To the Stars is a wonderful book to teach children that following their own heart is the best path to future happiness and personal accomplishment. It’s a beautiful addition to any budding scientist’s or adventurer’s library!

Ages 5 – 9

Charlesbridge, 2016 | ISBN 978-1580896443

To find fun activities for To the Stars—including how to make space play dough—as well as other books by Carmella Van Vleet, visit her website!

To learn more about Nicole Wong and view a portfolio of her artwork, visit her website!

World Space Week Activity

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Astronaut Coloring Page

Would you like to be an astronaut? Draw yourself in this spacesuit and then grab your crayons, pencils, or markers and have fun with this printable Astronaut Coloring Page!

Picture Book Review

October 7 – Random Acts of Poetry Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Today is set aside for all of those professional and private poets to unleash their imaginations and create poetry! As the name of the holiday suggests, these poems can be random – random subjects, random format, written or spoken in a random place. If writing isn’t really your thing but reading is, take a little time to read a favorite poem or poet or discover a new one!

enormous SMALLNESS: A Story of E. E. Cummings

Written by Matthew Burgess | Illustrated by Kris Di Giacomo

Hello! Welcome to 4 Patchin Place, the home of poet E. E. Cummings! This is where he wrote his poetry on a clackety typewriter, stopping only for tea poured out by the love of his life, Marion Moorehouse. How did he become a poet? That is an interesting story! E. E. was born Edward Estlin Cummings on October 14, 1894 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. His house was full of extended family, a handyman, a maid, and several pets. From an early age he loved to translate the things he saw into words. “His first poem flew out of his mouth when he was only three: “‘Oh, my little / birdie, Oh / with his little / toe, toe, toe!’”

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Image copyright Kris Di Giacomo, 2015, text copyright Matthew Burgess, 2015. Courtesy of Enchanted Lion Books

Estlin’s mother wrote down all the poems he told her and made a little book of them titled “‘Estlin’s Original Poems.’” When he was six, he expressed his love of nature in a poem about trees, and when his mother asked him what else he saw, he “looked around as if his eyes were on tiptoes and when his heart jumped he said another poem: ‘On the chair is sitting / Daddy with his book. / Took it from the bookcase / Beaming in his look.’”

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Image copyright Kris Di Giacomo, 2015, text copyright Matthew Burgess, 2015. Courtesy of Enchanted Lion Books

As he grew, Estlin was fascinated by the animals he saw at the circus and in the zoo. He drew pictures of them and wrote about them, using the words he loved so well—and even making up his own words. Estlin had a zest for life and for making life fun for himself and his little sister. During the summers the family traveled to Joy Farm in New Hampshire, where Estlin swam, milked the cow, rode a donkey, and wandered through the fields and forest. His father had built him a little log cabin in the woods, and in the afternoons Estlin went there to draw and write. At home he also had a special place all his own. In an enormous tree his father built a tree house, complete with stove to keep him warm on cold days.

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Image copyright Kris Di Giacomo, 2015, text copyright Matthew Burgess, 2015. Courtesy of matthewjohnburgess.com

Estlin had support for his writing at school too. His favorite teacher encouraged him saying, “anything is possible, / as long as you are true to yourself / and never give up, even when the world / seems to say, stop!” From his Uncle George, Estlin received a guide to writing poems. Estlin followed the rules in the book, penning poems nearly every day. When Estlin was 17 he attended Harvard College and began publishing his poems in the school’s magazines. While at Harvard, Estlin realized he had to follow his heart to be happy. He wanted to be like the new artists who were shaping the world—people like Gertrude Stein, Paul Cezanne, and Igor Stravinsky, “artists who were,” he once said, “challenging the way we think and see.”

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Image copyright Kris Di Giacomo, 2015, text copyright Matthew Burgess, 2015. Courtesy of Enchanted Lion Books

After he graduated, Estlin returned home, but when he had saved enough money he moved to New York and fell in love with the city immediately. He and his friends took in everything new the city had to offer. Soon, however, the United States entered World War II. On April 17, 1917 Estlin volunteered to be an ambulance driver in France. Before he received his assignment, though, he had time to explore Paris. He was “bowled over by the museums, the ballet, and the colorful, crowded streets.” He enjoyed the city so much he returned often during his lifetime.

During the war, Estlin was mistaken for a spy and sent to prison for several months. After the war he wrote a book about his experiences titled The Enormous Room by E. E. Cummings. “The book was published and praised! Estlin was becoming E. E.!” A year later he published his first book of poetry—Tulips & Chimneys. In his poems he experimented with punctuation and using lower case letters instead of capitals.

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Image copyright Kris Di Giacomo, 2015, text copyright Matthew Burgess, 2015. Courtesy of matthewjohnburgess.com

Through his fanciful typography, E. E. “wanted his reader’s eyes to be on tiptoes too, seeing and reading poetry (inaway) that was new.” But some people didn’t understand or like his poetry; it was too strange and too small, they said. But E. E. knew he had to stay true to himself. He believed that “his poems were new and true” and “were his way of saying YES” to everything he loved. As time went on more and more people began to “see the beauty of E. E.’s poetry, and he became one of the most beloved poets in America.”

E. E. Cummings lived and worked at 4 Patchin Place for almost 40 years, but in his mind he would often return to his childhood home. He “could still see himself as a boy gazing out at the sunset”—a memory that he put into words: who are you,little i / (five or six years old) / peering from some high / window;at the gold / of November sunset / (and feeling:that if day has to become night / this is a beautiful way).”

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Image copyright Kris Di Giacomo, 2015, text copyright Matthew Burgess, 2015. Courtesy of matthewjohnburgess.com

Simply put, Matthew Burgess’s enormous SMALLNESS: A Story of E. E. Cummings is a biography that will make you smile. Upbeat and full of the wonder and whimsy that influenced Estlin Cummings’ prodigious talent, the story encourages readers to always follow their heart. Burgess’s easy-going, conversational style invites kids along on the journey of Cumming’s life, stopping off at points that resonate with kids—early imaginary play, school, family vacations, home life, college, travel, and ultimate success. Seeing the support Cummings received throughout his life will inspire young readers just starting out on their own roads of discovery.

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Image copyright Kris Di Giacomo, 2015, text copyright Matthew Burgess, 2015. Courtesy of Enchanted Lion Books.

Kris Di Giacomo’s enchanting illustrations will immediately capture the imagination of readers. The playful quality of Cummings’ personality and poems is mirrored in each spread as a variety of children’s drawings and eye-catching typography are sprinkled throughout. As six-year-old Estlin composes poems for his mother, he stands on tiptoe in his nightshirt surrounded by toys; he experiences life from rooftop and treetop and gazes into the night from his tree house; New York lights up with fireworks and the lights of Broadway; and his poems spring from the pages in their own inimitable way.

A chronology of E. E. Cummings’ life, five poems, and an Author’s Note follow the text.

For children interested in writing, biographies, history, the arts, and the life of the imagination, enormous SMALLNESS: A Story of E. E. Cummings is an inspiring choice for their home bookshelves.

Ages 4 – 9

Enchanted Lion Publishing, 2015 | ISBN 978-1592701711

To learn more about Matthew Burgess, his books, and his poetry, visit his website!

View a gallery of illustration by Kris Di Giacomo on her website!

Random Acts of Poetry Day Activity

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Grow a Poem

A poem often grows in your imagination like a beautiful plant—starting from the seed of an idea, breaking through your consciousness, and growing and blooming into full form. With this craft you can create a unique poem that is also an art piece!

Supplies

Printable Leaves Template
Printable Flower Template
Wooden dowel, 36-inch-long, ½-inch diameter, available in craft or hardware stores
Green ribbon, 48 inches long
Green craft paint
Green paper for printing leaves (white paper if children would like to color the leaves)
Colored paper for printing flowers (white paper if children would like to color the flowers)
Flower pot or box
Oasis, clay, or dirt
Hole punch
Glue
Markers or pens for writing words
Crayons or colored pencils if children are to color leaves and flowers

Directions

Paint the dowel green, let dry
Print the leaves and flower templates
Cut out the leaves and flowers
Punch a hole in the bottom of the leaves or flowers
Write words, phrases, or full sentences of your poem on the leaf and flower templates
String the leaves and flowers onto the green ribbon (if you want the poem to read from top to bottom string the words onto the ribbon in order from first to last)
Attach the ribbon to the bottom of the pole with glue or tape
Wrap the ribbon around the pole, leaving spaces between the ribbon
Move the leaves and flowers so they stick out from the pole or look the way you want them to.
Put oasis or clay in the flower pot or box
Stick your poem pole in the pot
Display your poem!

**You can find enormous SMALLNESS at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

October 6 – It’s National Carry a Tune Week

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Celebrating its 17^th year, Carry a Tune Week, sponsored by the Center for American Music Preservation (CAMP), invites everyone to enjoy American music from the past. If you have a favorite tune, today’s the time to sing, hum, or whistle it! If can’t choose a favorite, CAMP has you covered. This year’s tune is the theme song from the movie Casablanca. You must remember that! Oh! I mean…You must remember this: “As Time Goes By.” If you’d like to check out tunes from previous celebrations, visit the American Music Preservation website.

Twinkle, Twinkle, ABC

Written by Barney Saltzberg | Illustrated by Fred Benaglia

When you hear the words twinkle, twinkle, little star, it’s almost impossible not to think of the nursery song. When you hear the letters ABC, you might again think of a nursery song. In fact, you’re thinking of the same tune! And that tune? It sure is a catchy one! So catchy that once learned those songs, they stay with you forever. Barney Saltzberg has taken delightful advantage of this whimsy in Twinkle, Twinkle, ABC.

Image copyright Fred Benaglia, 2017, text copyright Barney Saltzberg, Courtesy of Phaidon Press.

The sing-along, read-aloud starts like this: “Twinkle, twinkle, ABC, / A mixed-up, mashed-up melody. / A twinkly star, an alphabet, / Just how silly can we get? / Twinkle, twinkle, ABC. / Next time won’t you play with me?” From there the song takes flight with kids soaring over a city on the wings of birds. Next, the skyscrapers become multi-colored pillars for the kids to hop on and leap over. Coming back to the alphabet, readers are treated to: “Twinkle, twinkle, ABC, / Don’t forget D E F G. / A cow can MOO, and twirl and spin, / Left leg out, right leg in. / Twinkle, twinkle, ABC, A mixed-up, mashed –up jamboree!”

Image copyright Fred Benaglia, 2017, text copyright Barney Saltzberg, Courtesy of Phaidon Press.

Now the children meet up with a bear, who leads them on a tightrope walk while they “Growl” and “GRRR.” That bear is pretty talented too, strumming a banjo on his knee to introduce H I J K L M N O P. Moving to the forest, the kids play a game of hide-and-seek with Q R S T U V and swing from branches like leaves blown in the wind. Just in the nick of time, a colorful caterpillar strolls by wearing sensible shoes, a jaunty hat, and the letters W X Y and Z. The jangly jingle begins again and the friends grasp hands and sing. But are they getting sleepy after their busy day? “We TWEET and MOO and GRRR and WHOOSH, / Singing, quietly, softly, shush. / Twinkle, twinkle, ABC. / A mixed-up, mashed-up, zzzzzz.”

Image copyright Fred Benaglia, 2017, text copyright Barney Saltzberg, Courtesy of Phaidon Press.

Barney Saltzberg’s exuberant combination of two favorite songs will have kids up and dancing on the first read and singing along on the second and all subsequent reads. Along the way Saltzberg uses familiar lines from both songs and even throws in a bit of direction from the Hokey-Pokey. Saltzberg’s perfect rhythm and rhymes make this book a joy to read or sing aloud. and his bouyant words will inspire plenty of action-packed story times.

Image copyright Fred Benaglia, 2017, text copyright Barney Saltzberg, Courtesy of Phaidon Press.

Adding to the fun are Fred Benaglia’s lively and fanciful illustrations in which three children ride birds, slide on the letters of the alphabet, and play on a tightrope. Along the way they meet an orange, banjo-playing bear, a tutu-wearing cow, and a snazzy caterpillar who also join in the fun. The rhythm of the song is even helped along with clever placement of the letters, as when Q R S are divided from T U V by a tree trunk, reminding singers and readers to pause for just a moment between the runs. Benaglia’s color palette is vibrant and his perspectives eye-catching, making this “mixed-up mash-up” a letter-perfect book.

Twinkle, Twinkle, ABC is a picture book kids will love to interact with. It would make a much-appreciated baby gift or birthday gift and an often-read or sung addition to classroom and home libraries.

Ages 1 – 4

Phaidon Press, 2017 | ISBN 978-0714875071

Discover more about Barney Saltzberg and his books on his website.

View a gallery of illustration and art work by Fred Banaglia on his website.

National Carry a Tune Week Activity

It’s Instrumental! Game

Carrying a tune is easier when you’re accompanied by musical instruments. Play this game to acquire a full orchestra to back up your singing!

Supplies

Printable Paper Cube Template
Printable Musical Instruments Cards—print one page for each player
Scissors
Tape

Directions

Print the Paper Cube Template, cut it out and assemble the cube die.
Print the Musical Instruments cards, cut out cards, and separate the instruments into piles
Players take turns rolling the die cube to collect musical instrument cards
The first player to collect all 6 instrument cards is the winner

Picture Book Review

October 5 – World Teachers’ Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

World Teacher’s Day, sponsored by the United Nations, was established to celebrate the role teachers play in providing quality education from preschool through college and beyond. Teachers guide students to find their best selves, whether they’re children just starting their journey or adults going back to school. To celebrate today’s holiday, thank a teacher for everything they’ve done or do for you.

Because I Had a Teacher

Written by Kobi Yamada | Illustrated by Natalie Russell

A little bear has lots to say about his or her teacher. It may come as no surprise that this teacher has instilled in the bear a love of learning. But it goes beyond that. The little one reveals that “because I had a teacher, I discovered that I could do much more than I thought I could.” If one thing is harder than the rest, that’s okay too, the bear realizes.

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Because of having such a wonderful teacher, the child is ready for any challenges that come and understands that there are lots of ways of being smart”. Mistakes are not a big deal either, because they just happen when you’re trying to get things right. And those things that are the hardest? They bring the bear the most satisfaction to achieve.

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Image copyright Nancy Russell, 2017, text copyright Kobi Yamada, 2017 Courtesy of Compendium, Inc.

“Because I had a teacher,” the little bear says, “I know how good it feels when someone is happy to see me.” Not only that, but the child knows a friend is always near and that there is always someone who can help out. The bear’s teacher has introduced vast new worlds to explore and has fostered the little learner’s imagination. In fact, the bear feels that nothing is impossible. Then the little bear gives the best compliment of all: “Because I had you, I learned to believe in me.”

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Image copyright Nancy Russell, 2017, text copyright Kobi Yamada, 2017 Courtesy of Compendium, Inc.

Kobi Yamada’s heartwarming love letter from student to teacher is a touching tribute to one of the most important relationships in life. One of the wonderful aspects of the story is its fluidity, which allows for multiple interpretations on the student and teacher dynamic. The lyrical prose is appropriate for a traditional teacher/student pair, but the bond could also easily be between a parent and child, a grandparent and grandchild, or any caregiver and their small charge. The book could also be read the other way ‘round with the endearing sentiments coming from an adult to a child, as children often teach adults much about life as well.

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Image copyright Nancy Russell, 2017, text copyright Kobi Yamada, 2017 Courtesy of Compendium, Inc.

Natalie Russell’s softly hued illustrations masterfully do double duty as well. Quiet in their yellow background, line drawings, and adorable bears, Russell’s soy-ink drawings are also full of action and excitement. The teacher is just as engaged in the learning as the student—doing experiments, climbing trees, launching boats, and helping to paint masterpieces—making their relationship balanced and one of equal sharing. Gender neutrality is found throughout the book, making it appropriate for all children and adults.

Because I Had a Teacher would make a much-loved gift for any teacher, parent, or caregiver. It would also be a cozy read together for bedtime or any story time.

Ages 4 – 7 and up

Compendium, Inc., 2017 | ISBN 978-1943200085

To learn more about Kobi Yamada visit the Compendium, Inc. website.

View a portfolio of illustration work and sketches by Natalie Russell on her website.

World Teacher’s Day Activity

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Thank You, Teacher Certificate

If you have a favorite teacher, here’s a printable Thank You, Teacher Certificate for you to color, fill out, and give to them today or any day.

**You can find Because I Had a Teacher at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

October 4 – Balloons Around the World Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

You know you love balloons! Just watching them flutter from mailboxes, bob in the air while tied to a toddler’s wrist, or even float up, up, and away into a blue sky can make you smile. Today’s holiday was established in 2000 by Jeff Brown, who thought these useful and playful favorites deserved a little recognition. Balloons first burst onto the scene in 1783 when Jacques Charles took the first flight in a hydrogen balloon. In 1824 Michael Faraday invented the rubber balloon, and the importance of this discovery cannot be overblown…or…well…you know what happens. To celebrate today’s holiday, why not visit your local party store or grocery store and pick one of the amazing specialty balloons on display—or if you’re a purist, put together a bouquet of colorful traditional balloons.

I Have a Balloon

Written by Ariel Bernstein | Illustrated by Scott Magoon

An owl warily hangs onto his balloon as a monkey swings into the picture pointing at the owl’s prized possession. “I have a balloon,” the owl states. “That is a big balloon,” says the monkey. The owl proudly concurs as he repeats the monkey’s praise. But the monkey is not finished with his compliments. “That is a shiny red balloon,” he says. Yes, the owl agrees.